Himachal Govt identifies 5 sites for setting up of industrial corridor in BBN belt

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, January 4

Aimed at attracting investment by easing logistics, the state government has identified five sites for setting up integrated manufacturing clusters in the industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) under the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC) project.

Last year, the Centre had selected the BBN industrial node in Solan district for this project. It is one of the 32 such areas identified for the development of 11 industrial corridors under the Bharatmala project, which is being executed by National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (NICDC).

“Five sites measuring 1,171.60 acres have been proposed for integrated manufacturing clusters in the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN),” said Industries Department Joint Director Tilak Raj Sharma.

This comprises a site measuring 173.77 acres at Lakhanpur, another measuring 198.28 acres at Manjholi, one of 96. 8 acres at Bairccha and a site of 331.94 acres at Bir Palasi. The biggest site measuring 370.84 acres has been set aside at Dabhota.

These sites will be leased out to the NICDC following a Cabinet nod and this will pave way for the development of these manufacturing clusters. Being a joint venture of the state government and the Centre, a special purpose vehicle will be constituted for the development of this integrated manufacturing cluster.

“The NICDC had engaged a Larsen and Tourbo-led consortium as consultant for the master planning and preliminary engineering of the BBN node. The consortium shared the institutional, financial structure approved by the Centre for planning,” Sharma added.

The BBN area spreads across 35 sq km and houses about 2,000 manufacturers — comprising pharmaceuticals, textile, plastic manufacturing, engineering, automobiles, fast-moving consumer products and electronics, etc. More than 80 per cent of the state’s share of exports emanates from this industrial cluster.

The state government will provide land as its share of equity in the project while the remaining cost for the development of the node would be borne by the Centre.

The BBN industrial cluster houses more than 90 per cent of the state’s industries. Its proximity to Chandigarh and Delhi as well as the laying of a rail network will further ease logistics and give a major fillip to investment. With the state government having a limited scope to provide employment, the creation of this industrial corridor is slated to create employment opportunities for the youth by attracting more investment.

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